Finding your ideal scuba diving destination in Thailand

Welcome to Thailand: The Land of Smiles. Most people are well aware this enchanting corner of the globe serves as a cornucopia for crystal clear waters, white sand beaches and a rich underworld of marine life.

As such, it’s become a highly popular destination for those looking for a scuba diving adventure to remember.

But with the plethora of options on offer, how do you decide which Thailand destination is best for your thrill-seeking needs? Well, we’re lending you a hand. Dive into (pun intended) our full scope of prime locations for scuba diving in Thailandand find the perfect spot to suit your tastes.

This buzzing hot-spot is the number-one choice for first-time visitors to Thailand. Here, a number of local dive sites exist, offering a multitude of underwater delights and colourful wildlife to check out. Discover the stunning bejewelled anemones and schools of clownfish populating Anemone Reef; dive or snorkel the highly visible waters of Racha Yai Island, where a zoo of marine creatures dwell; or explore Kingcruiser Wreck, an 85-metre passenger ferry that sank on May 4, 1997.

Well suited for: Beginner divers who want to taste a bit of everything.

Phi Phi

After launching to fame thanks to the movie The Beach, Phi Phi remains a hot spot for tourists. The beautiful beaches, bays and islands of this destination not only make for breathtaking scenery, but also provide stunning diving opportunities. Explore striking limestone walls, shallow coral gardens and an abundance of soft corals and sponges. In addition, wildlife here varies from seahorses, pipefish and turtles to leopard sharks, reef sharks and crocodile long-toms.

Well suited for: Snorkellers and beginner divers (particularly those keen on wall diving).

Nai Yang

Looking for something a bit quieter when planning your Thailand trip? Nai Yang is the perfect spot for finding absolute relaxation and mingling with the locals in between your scuba diving adventures. Fringed with casuarina trees, this idyllic destination boasts a variety of marine life, including turtles, barracudas, octopi and cuttlefish. You’ll also have the chance to see the local wreck ‘Tin Lizzy’, which plays host to a vast array of small sea creatures.

Well suited for: Beginner divers, those who haven’t dived in a while and holiday-makers pressed for time.

Khao Lak

Featuring a stunning coastline juxtaposed against lush jungle interior, Khao Lak is much more laidback than the likes of Phuket. Regular visitors and seasoned divers often travel here to check out the fascinating wrecks lying on the sea floor, including Bunsoong Wreck, an old tin ore processor that has become a well-populated artificial reef since sinking in 1984; Sea Chart I Wreck, an 84-metre ship that’s still a relatively new addition to Khao Lak after sinking in 2009; and Premchai Wreck, a tin dredger that remains largely intact since its demise in 2001.

Well suited for: More advanced divers interested in wreck diving.

Pak Meng

Pak Meng offers visitors an authentic Thai experience. Composed of five islands, this tourist destination features densely-vegetated rainforests, long stretches of exotic coastlines and beautiful caverns to explore. Hin Daeng and Hin Hin Muang are located here – twin peaks that have been rated as one of the best dive spots in the world. Herein, divers can expect to see schools of small fish, soft coral and gorgonians as well as larger marine life, including giant barracudas, manta rays and whale sharks.

Well suited for: Beginner divers and experienced divers daring to take things a little further.